Dan Peace, a resident of Leona Wyatt Road in Corbin, is currently being held in the Laurel County Detention Center on various charges.
Kentucky State Police, ATF Agents, Two Rivers Drug Task Force Agents and a unit from the Kentucky State Police Bomb Squad converged on homes on Leona Wyatt Road and Beatty Ave. in Corbin Tuesday night to serve a search warrant as part of an ongoing methamphetamine investigation. A Corbin man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
According to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, 48-year-old Dan Peace was arrested late Tuesday night on charges illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of equipment used to manufacture methamphetamine, conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of explosive devices. He was taken into custody on a federal criminal complaint and is currently lodged in the Laurel County Jail. Officials say he will make an initial appearance to answer to the charges in U.S. District Court in London Thursday.
Authorities descended on the two homes Tuesday night to serve the search warrants. Dan Peace’s wife, Gail Peace, contacted the News Journal complaining about the raid and said her husband was being detained, but had not be charged with a crime. She added authorities handcuffed her husband. When initially question by the couple, Gail Peace said the agents offered no information as to what they were looking for. She later said they told her they were searching for bomb making materials and items related to the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Initially, police became interested in Peace following a traffic stop around midnight on Aug. 15 on KY 312 near Corbin. KSP Sgt. Steve Walker arrested Peace during the stop for DUI, disregarding a stop sign and possession of methamphetamine precursors. A passenger in the vehicle, 34-year-old Melinda Monhollen, of Gray, was also arrested for possession of methamphetamine precursors.
"They came into our home and wouldn¹t tell us what they were looking for," Gail Peace said during a phone interview. "This isn¹t right."
Agents reportedly found several firearms. Gail Peace said she told the agents the guns were hers and that she had hidden them from her husband who is a convicted felon. She said police found nothing, but ended up arresting her husband for being a convicted
Gail Peace claimed officers found no items related to explosives or a meth lab. But according to Whitley County Sheriff Colan Harrell, evidence of methamphetamine manufacturing and explosive devices were recovered from the Leona Wyatt Road residence.
No one appeared to be home at the home at the corner of Beatty Ave. and Caldwell Street. Peace said the house is vacant. Neighbors near the Beatty Ave. home were asked to evacuate for a time Tuesday. One neighbor said two men lived in the home, but she did not know their names as she rarely saw them.
The KSP Bomb Squad team had brought its bomb robot and was prepared to deployed it as other law enforcement investigated the house and garage at the Beatty Ave. home, but it was unnecessary.
According to Harrell, more arrests are expected in connection with the case.
